Zaofu Nights
by ZhurrickTea
Summary: This is a two-shot about the evolution of Varrick and Zhu Li's relationship in Zaofu. It is, as of "Enemy at the Gates", no longer canon compliant. In this fic, Varrick and Zhu Li have been secretely dating for months.
1. First Night

Varrick put on the robe Zhu Li had handed him. It weighed on him more than his Water Tribe outfits ever did and it would take time to get used to the metal collar. Not long, though. He had always bounced back from anything that life threw at him. There was no reason his prison escape would be anything different.

- What do you think, Zhu Li? Looking good in my Zaofu style garb?

He turned around to face her and was pleasantly surprised to find her smiling, although shyly.

- It suits you well enough.

He took her hand in his and pressed a kiss on it.

- You're quite a sight for sore eyes yourself.

They shared a look. Under the sun, her grey eyes shone in a very particular way. His hand found her cheek and she ever so slightly leaned into his touch. He thought she might kiss him if he gave her time but a knock on the door interrupted them. He sighed deeply. Her face turned back to the mask she wore with other people and she walked over to answer the knock.

- Hello! said Suyin with a cheerful voice. Is Varrick here?

Zhu Li stepped aside to let the matriarch in, then closed the door and went to stand by the wall behind Varrick to watch over the room.

It was good to see Suyin again. He had so many plans to share with her. On his way into Zaofu, he had taken in all the details of her transportation system and he explained to her the improvements he thought he might make to the city. The Water Tribe wars were long forgotten for him and he was facing his new life head on. He talked with Suyin for what became an extremely long time and it began to weigh on him. He had arrived at Zaofu at dawn, after having flown all night from the prison, and he longed for a nice nap next to Zhu Li. When Suyin suggested they had lunch with her family, he almost crushed her with his hug. He was completely starving. During dinner, he discussed the potential new railway system with Baatar and vegetarian alimentation with Opal, who would eat nothing but kale if it were up to her, it seemed. Finally, after two starters, three main courses and at least half a dozen desserts, Varrick was completely full and asked to be excused. He walked back to the room he had been given, followed by Zhu Li. As soon as they had left the dining room and were alone in the corridor, he took her hand. She was taken by surprise and gasped, but did not remove her hand from his. Instead, she gave it a faint squeeze and he whistled happily.

- After you, my sweet tiger seal, he said, opening the door wide for her.

It was a game they played. In front of people, Zhu Li would do everything for him, but when it was just the two of them, he would be at her beck and call. They were close enough for him to understand her better somehow. She had been opening up to him a little more now, ever since they ended up in prison together. They went into the room and Varrick threw himself of the bed.

- Zhu Li, I am just so tired! I can't stand it! I'm taking a nap!

She closed the shutters, which proved a lot harder than it looked. Apparently Zaofu had been made by metalbenders for metalbenders. But there was nothing his Zhu Li couldn't do. When the room was dark enough for sleep, she went to stand by the wall as usual.

- Zhu Li? he moaned.

She looked right at him with a slight expression of fondness in her eyes.

- Are you tired?

- A little.

- Would you come next to me, if you please?

For a few seconds she gave no answer and stood stiffly, but then she nodded and tiptoed through the room to sit on the bed next to him. He turned his head to look at her but she was staring at the wall in front of her. He took her hand and stroked it softly.

- What are you thinking about, tiger seal?

She blinked and looked at him. Slowly, she lay next to him and got so close he understood she wanted him to cuddle her. Her face was nuzzling against his neck, his was in her hair. It felt good to be able to hold her right against him.

- There is nowhere I wouldn't go for you.

He wanted to look at her then, to see her face when she said sweet things, but she didn't move so he just kept hugging her. Her hair smelled faintly of dirt and salt after their flight. It wasn't a very good smell, but not a bad one either.

- It was the same when we went to prison, and before that when we moved to Republic City, and…

She stopped and her arms snaked around his waist, tightening the hug.

- I'll follow you everywhere. I love you.

It was the first time those words had been said aloud between them. Varrick couldn't help but grin like an idiot as he pushed softly against her shoulders to look at her face. She was smiling as well, though shyly. He gave her a light kiss on the lips and watched her cheeks turn slightly pink.

- I love you too, Zhu Li. I wouldn't go anywhere without you.

Only then did he notice she had been rather tense, when she seemed to melt into his arms.

- Promise me you'll never leave me behind, she said and squeezed him closer.

- I promise.

He felt so good with her. His previous girlfriends had been either completely horrible or lying gold-diggers and the honeymoon phase had been shorter and shorter over time. With Zhu Li, he felt it would never end. They might keep their romance rather hidden to outsiders but in their private sphere, they were close as ever. He had good hopes for their future.

- You're quite the keeper, tiger seal.

Hugging Zhu Li, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead, he felt he could stay with her his whole life and not get tired. He trusted in his projects to provide for the rest. After a few instants thinking over the possibilities of his future, he noticed Zhu Li had fallen asleep in his arms. He smiled at the sight and closed his eyes to join her.


	2. Last Night

The city of Zaofu had already been closed its floral roof for the night by the time Zhu Li and Varrick came back to the room that had been theirs for six months now. Varrick was wearing a broader grin than ever on his face.  
>"This is it, Zhu Li! Tomorrow's the day!"<br>She gave him a small smile and he took her in his arms, whipped her off her feet and spun her around.  
>"I just love Kuvira's plans! This is going to make us richer than ever!"<br>"Mostly you."  
>"Come on, Zhu Li, what's mine is yours."<br>That was true, she had to admit. The yuans were his, but she had never lacked of anything ever since she had been working with him. She never exagerated, of course, never demanded anything extravagant (the same could not be said about Varrick), though she was in charge of the finances and could very well have bought half of the world. Still, he covered for her expanses, just like he did the rest of his crew, which meant the metalbender's plans might improve everybody's lives. At the very least it would improve life in Earth Kingdom, if Kuvira was to be believed.

"Can you actually believe we're leaving Zaofu? It felt like yesterday we arrived."  
>"I won't miss it. I hate a city where you can't see the moon."<br>"You never miss anything, sweet tiger seal, he said and let out one of his adorable little chuckles."  
>"I'd miss you if I lost you."<br>She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he leaned to kiss her, flush against her body. He seemed to always be willing to shower her with affection when she needed it. One of the many reasons she felt safe and fulfilled with him. His mouth was warm and soft against hers and he made her feel at home. They had moved away so many times it might as well be how she described it. Varrick was her home, not any land. As he lavished her with his sweet kisses, she knew right then that this night was the night.

She pulled away to speak but his mouth descended to her neck, marking his way with light kisses, and he made her forget anything she had wanted to say. It felt pleasant and she just enjoyed the moment, stroking his hair lovingly, when suddenly he groaned and took a step back. His chin was bleeding. He had apparently cut himself on the metallic part of her dress.  
>"Damn Zaofu collars! <em>I<em> definitely won't miss those! Zhu Li, bring the, er, the thing!"  
>She did her best not to smile at his fit of anger and swiftly went to the bathroom. She brought back a towel and disinfectant. He was sitting on the bed and frowned when he saw the vial.<br>"It'll sting, won't it?"  
>"Just a little."<br>She dabbed his chin clean with the towel, then applied the disinfectant. He winced and closed his eyes so tightly shut that she feared they would stay stuck that way. When she was done, she gave him a peck on the lips and turned around to put the flask back into the medicine cabinet and the towel in the laundry. In the bathroom, she decided to put on her sleepwear. It was well past time to go to bed, though she thought she might not sleep right away. Once she had put her nightgown, she threw the dress in the laundry for the last time of her life, hopefully. It wasn't the first time one of them had had a slight injury because of the metallic part. It was probably not a problem for metalbenders that crowded the city but she was not a bender and neither was Varrick.

He was scratching his chin when she came back.  
>"It's going to bleed again if you do that."<br>He gave her puppy eyes and dropped his hand.  
>"Sorry."<br>She knew she shouldn't laugh at people, least of all her Varrick, whom she was so involved with. She had been taught not to laugh, ever, but she couldn't help at his guilty expression. She knew for a fact he liked her laughing anyway. His eyes brightened when she let out a chuckle and his itching seemed to be forgotten. They shared a loving look in comfortable silence.

As she walked to her side of the bed, he noticed her outfit and it seemed to make him yawn.  
>"Going to bed, mmh? I'd better change too."<br>She nodded and lay under the covers. He pulled off his shoes and stood up, walking to the bathroom. She knew she had to stop him from going there, from going to sleep before she'd had the time to at least ask. Her mind was bubbling with ideas and possible suggestions that she had no idea how to express. Varrick's hand was already on the handle of the bathroom door when she cried out.  
>"Wait!"<br>He turned around, looking at her expectantly. She loved how expressive his face always was, even for the most uninteresting situations. His eyebrows were raised and his moustache made a funny shape around his mouth. A few seconds passed before she realized she hadn't explained herself. She coughed to give herself countenance.  
>"You don't have to go in there."<br>His brow knitted.  
>"But I have to change to go to bed. I'll kill myself if I keep that metal thing around my neck!"<br>She could feel her cheeks blushing but she knew she had to be honest about what she wanted. Tomorrow they would be gone for spirits knew how long. If they had to do anything at all, it would be tonight. She had no idea when they would have privacy again.  
>"Yes. You can change here."<br>This time, he immediately understood what she meant. He gave her a knowing smirk.  
>"Like what you see, tiger seal?"<br>She was blushing for sure by now but held his gaze and nodded.

He never looked away from her, seemingly trying to gauge her reaction. She held his gaze. She was hesitating, of course. Her whole life, she had been reproved and chastised for expressing her will and even though Varrick had helped her immensely in that regard, she still had trouble being confident when trying something new. Slowly, cautiously, he removed his collar and put it on the table. His hands went to the rim of his tunic, about to pull it off, but he looked for approval in her eyes first.  
>"Keep going," she said, almost hiding behind the covers but smiling nonetheless.<br>She had seen his torso countless times, of course. In all her years of being his assistant, she wouldn't be surprised if she had even seen him completely naked a few times. This was a very different situation. Varrick was showing off for her, only for her. He pulled the tunic faster than she thought he would, faster than she would herself, revealing his toned chest. His calisthenics were paying off. He would usually wear a tanktop doing them, which didn't prevent Zhu Li from sneaking a peak. Tonight, she was allowed to fully stare.

Varrick did a few funny poses, making her let out a ridiculous giggle, and he grinned like an idiot. It felt good being able to let her guard down around him. Of course, a lot of her newfound confidence came from the fact that his own assurance had influenced her. Still, it gave her the courage to go through with her demands.  
>"Take off your pants now."<br>He looked pretty impressed with her straightforward command. He took the cord holding his pants in his hands and looked at her. She nodded. Untied, the pants fell to the floor and there was but one item of clothing left. That one would stay on for now, though.  
>"Do you want me to wear pyjamas tonight, Zhu Li?"<br>She could not believe how suave his voice could be. There were butterflies-dragonflies in her stomach just hearing it. That voice was only for her. Just like her laugh was just for him. She shook her head and gestured him to come forward, lifting the bed covers for him.

He scrambled under the covers, trying to lean on his elbows, hug her, kiss her and put the covers back on them at the same time. He ended up half crushing her and she hissed against his mouth.  
>"Sorry…" he said, pulling away.<br>He rearranged his weight. He had never been closer to her than he was right now. She opened her legs slightly to give him space to rest between them, snaked her arms around his neck and brought their lips together once again. Everything about him was warm. His mouth and lips against hers, his hands in her hair, his body all over her. She felt warm and safe and oh so _good_.

When he broke the kiss, his eyes shone with love and kindness. He stroke her cheek gently and spoke in that smooth and low voice that she loved.  
>"What do you want from me, Zhu Li?"<br>Damn. She had not expected to have to say it out loud. It's not like it was that surprising or hard to guess. They had shared a bed for months and, although it hadn't come to _the thing_, their kisses were quite passionate and she thought it was obvious what she meant when she specifically asked him to come to bed almost naked. Then again, maybe he did catch her drift but just wanted to be completely sure.

She was not comfortable speaking about things like that out loud, even though she felt ready to _do_ them. She opened her legs a bit wider, revelling in him pressing closer, and stroked the hair on his nape, giving him a smile.  
>"I think you know what I want."<br>Her words seemed to have quite an effect on him. His eyes widening, he licked his lower lip and gave the slightest nod. He leaned toward her, his head right against her ear.  
>"I want you too, tiger seal."<br>He started laying kisses against her neck as he often did, but there was something intimate about having him on top of her, something that had lacked all these times. His stubble was tickling her skin. She would need to shave it for him in the morning. Slowly, tentatively, his hand reached up and rested on her breast. Surprised, though she ought not to have been, she bucked her hips slightly. Varrick moaned loudly. She noticed, too late, that her effect on Varrick was starting to show as his hips jerked back against hers. This time, she let out a moan and immediately covered her mouth, ashamed of doing such noises.

Whether he saw her gesture or not, she did not know. He kissed her neck and further down, and when the nightgown would not allow him to go further, he kissed her on top of it. His hands were roaming her body, making her feel things she had never thought she would. One came to find its way to her legs, his thumb softly brushing against the skin of her thigh and she looked away, embarrassed by the feeling it gave her.

"I love you so much, my sweet Zhu Li."

One hand on her breast, the other sliding between her legs, Varrick was having as much an effect on her as she on him. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, gathering courage. She then softly pushed against his torso to be able to sit, smiling to reassure him when he looked at her with puzzlement. It was not fair that she could not feel his skin right against her. She sat up and took off her only piece of garment. The urge to cover herself with her arms came upon her but she fought it off and gave a shy smile to Varrick. She breathed once, twice, and looked up at him. The look in his eyes made up for her fears and she allowed herself to lie back down and gesture for him to come closer. He lay on top of her, surrounding her with his warmth, with the security he inspired her.

She wrapped her legs around his, her arms around his neck, and noticed, too late, that he had somehow got rid of his underwear. She felt him right against her thigh, but it did not frighten her like it would have before. It helped that he was smiling at her, pushing her hair out of her face. He gave her a lingering kiss as his hand dipped between her legs and rested there, as if waiting for permission. She nodded, but closed her eyes when he began touching her, probing around. She knew she was pretty wet already, how could she not when Varrick was all over her, and her cheeks were blushing, she could feel it, but could not help it.

"You're perfect, Zhu Li."

If she had not known before, she would have guessed right then that he came from a Water Tribe. His touch was as persistant as the waves, as regular as the tides, as beautiful as the moonlight. She had never been touched like that, never at all to tell the truth. She had never been one for self exploration either. Varrick made her feel completely new things that she never thought she would live to discover.

"Do you like this?" he said with his rough voice just against her ear.

She did not trust her voice and nodded. In truth, his fingers were making her feel good, really good, even, and she was just getting used to the way her body was reacting. She gasped when he pressed a finger into her, though she did not know what she had expected. He felt her tense somehow and kissed her cheek softly.

"Is this okay?"

"Keep going."

And he kept going. The more he touched her, the more overwhelmed she felt, and the less control she had over herself. She bit her lip and the moans that came could not go past her throat. Somehow he seemed to understand her. One finger became two, his slow tidal moves became a sea storm and she found herself unable to resist anymore. Varrick certainly knew how to please her. It was becoming almost too much and Zhu Li had to stop biting her lip, lest she would injure herself. Her hips rocked against his hand against her will and the pleasure was building up inside her.

"Varrick, I…"

"Let it go, Zhu Li."

She opened her mouth to reply something, anything, but all that came out was a broken moan when his palm pressed right against her and her pleasure burst. There was nothing to do but to grab on Varrick, her rock in the middle of this storm. It took some time before the waves of pleasure coursing through her body faded and all was left was a halo of sated delight surrounding her. She opened her eyes and met his. He was smiling. He slowly pulled his fingers out and licked them clean, which left her with a feeling she could not quite analyze.

"Tiger seal?"

"Mmh?"

"Did you want to… er… you know, do the thing?"

His hips gave a slight thrust, possibly on purpose, and she was reminded that he was completely naked above her and based on what she could feel, ready for more than what he had just given her. She blinked and he gave her a goofy smile, waiting for her answer.

"Yes," she answered with a smile. "Let's do the thing."

Wasting no time, she slid her hand between their bodies and took him in her hand. He hissed and wriggled his hips in the most endearingly ridiculous way when she tried pumping her hand up and down.

"Careful there, Zhu Li, that thing's sensitive, you know!"

To be perfectly honest, she had just about zero idea of what she was doing and it apparently showed. She just knew what she wanted and it was about a climax too late for feeling ashamed of it now.

"Then, you can just… you know…" she said, bringing him close against her and feeling his warmth even there, "do it now. The thing."

"The thing," he nodded and his hand touched hers as he guided himself inside her.

Now _that_ was bigger than two fingers and she groaned in discomfort. He paused immediately and stroked her cheek, kissing her forehead.

"No," she said, "don't stop. Do it now. Do the thing."

He kept going, albeit slowly, until he was fully in, then paused again and she couldn't scold him twice. Especially not when he was simply being caring. She kissed him with as much passion as she could, hoping to convey the urgency she felt.

Then her tidal lover was back as soon as he moved his hips and any trace of pain was forgotten, washed away by the waves. He made love to her and she felt whole. Varrick was her sea, her ocean, her storm, her lover, now and forever.

"I love you," she said and kissed him again.

She could get used to this. Really. Which was a shame considering they probably would not be able to do it again for a long time once they joined Kuvira. Or would they? After all, if Zaofu had given them one room for two, Kuvira might as well. And if she didn't… Well, Zhu Li could picture herself sneak into Varrick's room quite easily. No matter if anyone heard them.

And hear them, they would. There was much to be said about Varrick, but no one could pretend he was a calm and soft-spoken man. His noisy self was just the same in lovemaking. Groans, moans, sighs, Varrick was to be heard. Not that she could blame him. Under his thrusts, she was finding it more and more difficult to keep silent. Varrick seemed to sense it and made it his mission to get her to open up. Nibbling at her neck, her ear, kissing her throat, her lips, touching her breasts, there was no more attentive partner than him. Not that she had had many to compare him with. She didn't need anyone else anyway.

Soon his thrusts became more erratic, his swell became whelm. He hugged her closer and she never felt safer than in his arms. After a few last push and pull, he let out a strangled gasp and she felt him finish inside her, which she did not think was wise but she said nothing. He stilled, let out a sharp breath and fell right on top of her.

"Hmpf!"

"Oh, sorry, Zhu Li," he said and pulled out to lie next to her, which made her feel strangely empty. "Actually, yes, I'm sorry."

He was frowning. She snuggled close against him and he hugged her, apparently relieved of whatever it was he was sorry for.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Varrick."

"You know…"

"Tell me now."

"I lasted like five minutes! You deserve so much more, my sweet tiger seal…"

She chuckled and pressed her lips to his before whispering into his ear, trying to emulate his suave voice from earlier.

"If you worry about it being too short, we can just do it over and over again…"

His eyes brightened up and he was back on top of her in a heartbeat.


End file.
